The History and Versatility of Aperol: From Spritz to Paper Plane

Aperol was invented by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri in 1919 at the Padua International Fair held in Northern Italy’s Veneto region. At the time, aperitivo hour was popular in the region. Aperol, with its approachable citrus-sweet flavor profile and red/orange color, made a huge impression at the fair. In the 1950s, the Aperol Spritz was created and quickly became a drink of choice throughout Europe, making Aperol the best-selling spirit in Italy. Aperol is often a gateway spirit into the bittersweet liqueur category, as it is generally lighter in profile and not as intense as some of the higher alcohol content aperitivos.

Everyone knows the Aperol Spritz, a light and refreshing cocktail that pairs well with almost everything. The Aperol Spritz was originally intended to be used as what the Italians call an aperitivo, a drink to open one’s palate and stimulate a drinker’s appetite before a meal. However, Aperol is much more versatile than just being used in a spritz. An example of such versatility is the Paper Plane.

The Paper Plane was created in 2008 for a bar in Chicago by award-winning bartender Sam Ross. He was inspired by the Last Word Cocktail, which consists of equal parts gin, lime, maraschino liqueur, and the ever-elusive green chartreuse. The Paper Plane, on the other hand, contains equal parts bourbon, amaro, Aperol, and lemon juice. Although these cocktails don’t appear to be similar enough to show direct inspiration, they follow the same template and have a fantastic balance between bitter, sour, and herbal notes.

Paper Plane Ingredients:

  • ¾ oz bourbon (ideally with an ABV of 43-46%)
  • ¾ oz Aperol
  • ¾ oz Amaro Nonino
  • ¾ oz lemon juice

Method: Add bourbon, Aperol, amaro, and lemon juice into a shaker with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a glass and, if you’re feeling fancy, garnish with a little paper plane.

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